The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-06-12

you eat opium now. you Will never agan
abstain from it. You viii soon become
a mad man viii not sell you the drug.
Herbert was within reach of the ma
gician that could free him from torture
of mind and body for the headaches. which
Were not violent when he was ON the sea,
had come upon him with redoubled force.
These he complained Of, and begged for
the opium rs a relief from the agony.
The druggist gave him n somnolent, and
it eased the pain. advising him at the
same time to put himself in charge of a
muscular servant, under orders to keep
the doors OF their habitation locked, and
his master a prisoner, until the craving
for opium should be conquered The
druggist found such servant; and with
this servant Herbert departed to take up
his monastic life.
The pharmacist kept his secret.
and it was not known that
Herbert Barrons was in the city.
His wife was there and manag-
ing with success the affairs of the house
of Barrons & Co. This Herbert learned
from an item in commercial journal.
The story of the sulfenngs on the sea was
repeated on the land; added TO them
Were his headaches, unrelieved by the
excitement of an occasional storm.
One day Herbert slipped out of the
area gate, and, leaping into a passing cab,
was driven TO a gunshop. There he
bought revolver. Then he instructed
the cabman to drive to DIR. Mobiles adj
dress. On the way he load,'d the pistol.
When the cab stopped at the curb he
sIrang ont and ran lightly up the steps to
DIR. Mobiles residence. He noticed that
Grape hung from the knob as he pulled
the bell. lie Vas confident, and smiled.
A servant opened the door. Herbert
inquired for the physician. The servant
pointed to the Grape.
Herbert smilingly handed him the pis-
toll and said: Il meant this for him, and
then for myself; but now that he is dead
| will live
He left the astOunded servant, leaped
into the cab, and was driven quickly
away. He had turned the critical point.
With his servant he sailed that day on n
long voyage. and was absent many
months From Asia he wrote To his wife:
Here 1 am amid the opium eaters. 1
watch them daily. learn their visions
and their dreams of fair women. | com
pose these with my fancies in regard to
you, when | was under the influence of
the drug, and then these fancies are
placed side by side with my remembrance
of you during my convalescence. Now
L am well. Here where the poppy
grows, and where the baneful drug is
made in its strength and purity, 1 am
well. without desire to eat again of the
opium. From here | write to you, as
once | told you, the story of my thoughts
of you. They hold you before me in a
vision dearer. more beatilic far than any
revelation of you which the opium could
possibly give. The halo of truth en-
circles your head. and the light of wifely
pity-neither divine nor human, but
strongly akin to both-suffuses your eyes.
illumines your forehead, while your lips
speak To me the words of self abncgation
that you SD generously and honestly
uttered. This is the story Of my thoughts.
/ tell it you May | come and tell you
my love HERBERT"
YES, my love. yes,' was borne to
him by the fleet footed hghtninS-thc
IlermeS of commerce, carrying with its
burdens of business and sorrow, mes
sages of great joy and consolation.
Arthur Mcrrick in The Epoch.